Coming Together Again
by RainbowKissed
Summary: Set five years after the fall of Voldermort. Harry, Ron and Hermione drifted apart wanting to find themselves, some found happiness and some tragedy. What happens when a new threat comes alive for all Muggleborns? Sorry guys on hold! May re write it!
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Harry Potter fic. I had this idea for a while, but i haven't really got round to writing it.

**Coming Together Again**

**Summery: **Five years after the fall of Voldermort, life hasn't really become any better for the trio. After the final battle, they all went their seperate ways to deal with their life and to truly find their meaning in life. But when a new election to find a new Minister for Magic and a candidate who has a dislike to muggle borns, will the famous trio be reunited in their greatest time of need?

**Rating: **M

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters used in this fic. This fiction is purely for entertainment and in no circumstance will make a profit out of it. I do not own Harry Potter.

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Hermione choked a small sob as she read the headline on the front page of the Daily Prophet. The big bold black letters felt like a stab to her heart and dignity every time she read the headline that took all of the page. ' **_New election means fear for muggle-borns'_**. Hermione felt outraged that the Ministry was even considering this man as a candidate for a new Minister for Magic.

With a fit of anger, Hermione threw the newspaper across the table and placed her head in her hands, she tried so hard not to cry, but she couldn't help but feel a few drops of warm tears falling slowly down her face.

Ever since the death of Voldermort her life began to spin out of control. She had been badly injured during the last battle. She had suffered the effects of many different painful curses, each more painful than the last until her contribution in the battle had cruelly ended with one curse. She had suffered greatly from one of the Unforgivable Curses. The Cruciatus Curse was aimed directly at her by a hiding Death Eater just as Voldermort was about to be defeated, she didn't know how long she was under the cruel curse since she passed out after the first few minutes.

The next thing she knew she was waking up on a ward in St. Mungo's. Harry was in a stable condition and had woken up just a few hours before she did. He had a few cuts and bruises on his body and had suffered from numerous spells and curses, but apart from that he was fine. Ron appeared to be well, to Hermione's relief he just sustained some cuts and bruises that were on the verge of healing. All three of them will forever carry a constant reminder of what happened that dark night. Memories of the final battle haunted all of their dreams. Even years later, they still had clear images and feelings of the night that went down in history, the night they finally defeated the Dark Lord.

After the battle things didn't get any better for Hermione. Two years after the battle there was a breakout from Azkaban. Some of Voldermort's followers has escaped and were on the run. The wizarding community was on high alert, but that didn't stop the escaped Death Eaters from killing again. One night the Death Eaters broke into her house. Her mother was the first to hear the disturbance downstairs, thinking it was just Crooksanks knocking something onto the kitchen floor so she went to investigate. After hearing her mother scream Hermione ran as fast as she could, only to be blinded by a bright green light as the words '_Avada Kedavra' _left the Death Eaters lips. She then saw her lifeless mother fall to the ground, with the Death Eater that killed her grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Hermione could never forget what happened that night. The screams of her mother haunted her sleep.

About a month after her mother was murdered, Hermione's father suffered a fatal heart attack. Deep down Hermione knew it wasn't a heart attack, she knew that her father died of a broken heart. Her mum and dad had always been together. They met in school and since then they had been the perfect couple. The devastation and heartbreak was what lead to her father's death. The death of her mother, resulted in the loss of her father. That was the thing that hurt her the most, she couldn't be there for him. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't help him with the pain he felt. She lost both her parents, and nothing she could do could bring them back.

Another thing she let slip from her fingers was her friendship with Ron, Ginny and Harry. She didn't know what happened that caused them to drift apart like things being lost in a strong current. After the fall of Voldermort, Harry seemed to be going through a time of crisis. He didn't know what his life was for anymore, since all his live he was known as the Boy-who-lived. He was going through a major life changing time. He needed to find what he was truly about, and felt that to fulfil this need he had to find himself alone. He didn't like making that decision, neither did his friends' but they soon understood. The last she heard from Harry was two years ago, he wanted to help the wizarding community, so he decided to train to become an Auror.

Ron was a slightly different story. After the fall of Voldermort, Ron became more confident in his magic. He decided to train to become a qualified Auror. For the first few years after the final battle they still wrote to each other, but after the death of her parents and Ron's constant missions the letters seemed to stop altogether. The last time she received a letter from him was before he went on a secret mission to Egypt.

Hermione and Ginny still kept in contact, but only with occasional owls. After a few years the letters stopped altogether. This saddened Hermione since she treasured the friendship she had with Ginny. The last time Hermione heard from Ginny was that she was a qualified nurse working at St. Mungo's.

Hermione got a job working in the Ministry. She worked hard, coming in early and leaving late. Work seemed to be paramount for Hermione since everything else in her life seemed to either have gone or was fading like an old painting.

Hermione looked up at the clock that hung next to the door of her flat. She almost leaped out of her seat when she realised she had less than ten minutes to get to work. She grabbed her pink scarf and wrapped it round her neck to keep the cold out. She grabbed her coat and bag and ran out the door.

She didn't like to apparate to work, she liked to walk even in the blistering cold. It gave her a sense of reality and gave her time to truly think before going to her desk where she will be surely stacked with work to do.

When she finally got to her department she made her way slowly towards her office. She dumped her bag on the back of her chair. She took her coat and scarf and hung them on the peg that was placed on the wall to her right.

Her office was painted light blue. Several bookshelves where placed around numerous places in her office, all of which were cluttered with books. Her large window looked out onto a busy street where she liked to stand and watch life go by right in front of her.

She was just about to open up a file to work on when she heard a knock on her office door. She wondered who it might be, since all of her work she needed was already on her desk. She slowly stood up and walked over to open the door, the person who knocked for her was one of the last people she expected to see. The person, who was standing in her doorway, was Ronald Weasley.

Hermione was shocked. She would have never thought that she would see him again since they never exchanged letters anymore. She stood there staring at her old best friend and noticed how much he had changed since she last saw him. He seemed to be more muscular and taller. His wavy red hair stopped at his ears. His face seemed to be the same, but some features had obviously matured.

"Hello Hermione"

Hermione was still in shock. She couldn't believe that after all this time Ron would be standing in her office doorway, smiling at her.

"Well aren't you going to let me in then?" Ron asked with a cheeky smile on his lips.

Hermione snapped back into reality, she looked at Ron again and gave a light smile as she moved out of the way so Ron could pass through. She walked over to her desk and sat down, she gestured Ron to sit in the chair opposite.

"Blimey Hermione, this office is big" Ron said in amazement. Hermione knew he was only trying to break the thick ice that had been made between the two.

Hermione smiled. "Thanks" She said as she took a cup and filled it with some hot tea using her wand. "Would you like a drink?" She asked politely.

Ron looked at Hermione's facial expression, she seemed nervous and he didn't blame her. "No thanks Hermione"

Hermione simply nodded as she took a sip from her tea and placed it back on the oak wood desk. She looked at Ron with an uneasy expression. What do you say to a friend who you haven't had any contact in years with?

"So" Ron and Hermione both said at the same time. They both gave a nervous laugh "You first" Hermione said to Ron.

"I was just going to say how have you been" Ron asked curiously.

"Oh I have been fine, considering the circumstances" Hermione said politely "You?" She asked curiously.

Ron shrugged "Cant really complain" He said unenthusiastically. Hermione simply nodded. Ron looked at her with a light smile "So what was it you were going to say to me?" Ron asked suddenly.

Hermione looked to the side and back to meet Ron's blue eyes. "I just wanted to ask, what are you doing here?" Hermione said as she moved a strand of hair out of her eyes.

Ron knew she was going to ask a question like this, and quite frankly he knew he deserved it. He hadn't been the best of friends to her in the recent years. After he left to Egypt he never wrote, he never expected Hermione to since there are strict rules that disallow people at home contacting Aurors who were on a mission. He felt immensely guilty that he didn't write to her when he was out there, and even when he came back. "I was expecting that question, I just wanted to see you" Ron said in a sincere voice.

Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "So after all these years you decided to see me now?" Hermione asked with a small sob "Why didn't you come sooner?"

Ron looked at the floor he knew how upset she was. He knew how much loss she had been through, the death of her mother and soon after the death of her father. Ron just wished he could have been there more for her. He left for Egypt shortly after her dad's funeral. He knew that Harry felt the same, for he too abandoned his friend at their time of need. Harry knew about the death of her parents from Ron, but he too never gave her much support afterwards. Something Ron knew Harry deeply regretted.

Ron looked at Hermione and sighed "I couldn't, I wanted to but every time I tried I tried I just couldn't face you" Ron explained.

Hermione nodded "So you think I am some kind of monster, who will rip you to shreds if you go anywhere near me, is it?" Hermione cried in an annoyed tone.

Ron's eyes widened "No! That's not what I meant" Ron defended.

Hermione gave a small snort "Then what did you mean?" she challenged.

Ron ran his hands through his hair "I meant that I was scared. I was scared that if I came sooner I would have to leave you again. I was scared that if I came back you would have forgotten me" Ron said in a melancholy tone.

Hermione sighed "I thought you and Harry forgot about me, you never wrote, or replied so in the end I gave up" Hermione confessed, her eyes glossy with tears.

Ron wasn't surprised to say the least, he knew that one of the reasons Hermione felt like this was that he didn't write to her, or at least give her some indication that he was alive "I'm sorry Hermione, I know I should have written to you. I know how hard it's been for you and me not bothering to write letters must have added to your pain. I know I had several chances to write, but whenever I sat down with the quill and parchment I didn't know what to write. I never once forgot you Hermione, I thought about you everyday and it killed me not being able to see one of my best friends" Ron explained softly.

Hermione gave a small smile as Ron wiped the single teardrop that fell down her face away.

"I knew deep down that you didn't forget me, but when the letters stopped coming doubts began flowing in my head. I shouldn't have given up, but when I didn't receive any I just thought what's the point?" Hermione sadly explained.

Ron looked into her eyes he could see what she had been through. Her eyes showed a lot of sorrow and heartache. He hated seeing her like this. He couldn't help but feel partly responsible for this.

"I'm sorry Hermione" Ron said apologetically.

Hermione looked confused "Why are you apologising?"

Ron stood up and walked round the desk to Hermione "I haven't been fair, neither me or Harry have. We weren't there for you when you needed us most, you were there for us and we couldn't be there for you. You had to deal with your parents' death practically on your own, and that wasn't fair on you" Ron explained.

Hermione sucked on her lip and smiled "It's ok, really. You needed to find yourself and you did, I don't want you to regret that. I am fine really, I dealt with their death, yes I still mourn them, but I learnt to move on" Hermione tried to reassure Ron, but his guilt was just too stubborn.

"Hermione, you didn't deserve the treatment we gave you. We were too preoccupied with finding ourselves that we completely forgot about another important thing in our lives, you" Ron said softly.

"Why are you talking on Harry's behalf?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"I know Harry feels the same way and I thought it would be best to clear it at once" Ron explained.

Hermione took a deep breath "If Harry feels the same way, let him come to talk to me. You can't defend Harry forever Ron" Hermione told him.

Ron didn't know what to say everything he said dug himself deeper. He knew Hermione was hurting, but he knew she didn't want to admit it to him.

"I just wanted make it clear to you that we both care about you Hermione, I don't think we have been making it clear lately" Ron explained.

"I know you care, you proved that today when you came. I don't want you to tell me what Harry feels, I want to know why you came here. What you think about what happened to us" She reassured the red head.

Ron gave a short sigh "I don't know what happened to us Hermione, after the war things changed. We all changed. I guess we needed to find what we could do with our lives but along the way we must have lost each other."

"We did lose each other, we tried to deal with the after math of the war in our own way. Unfortunately dealing with it in our own way had its own consequences. We lost contact with each other, the last time I heard from you was when you were just leaving for Egypt, that was two years ago. Same with Harry, last I heard he had joined the ministry as an Auror. My own consequence was far greater than yours was, for mine is a constant memory. The constant memory of my parents dying right in front of me!" Hermione choked out. She had broken into tears. Ron brought her into a comforting hug to try and calm her down. He rubbed her back gently to soothe her sobs, gently moving side to side to try and make her relax.

Ron rested his chin on Hermione's soft brown locks. Tears were forming in his eyes, but he wouldn't let them fall. He needed to be strong for Hermione. She desperately needed her best friends in her life, and he was only beginning to realise that. He felt horrible for leaving on these missions that did nothing to help him when he could have been at home, doing something that meant something to him. His family and friends are the most important thing in his life, he didn't need to go on different missions around the world to find who he was, and he always had the things he needed here. He didn't realise what he had until this moment.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened to you parents Hermione. It wasn't your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself. The Death Eaters are the ones that should be blamed!" Ron said in a calm tone, he felt Hermione tense when he mentioned the Death Eaters. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned.

"I don't blame myself, not anymore. I just wake up in cold sweats most nights with an image of my mother lying on the floor lifeless with the Death Eater smiling at what he had done! Smiling at her like she were a prize! That smile won't go away! If I am not waking up due to that, it's the time leading up to the death of my father. He died shortly after my mum was murdered. I remember that night clearly. The night the doctors said he has a heart attack. He didn't have a heart attack Ron; he died of a broken heart. The look on his face was something I never want to see again, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't do anything to save them!" Hermione cried with tears falling down her cheeks. This was the first time she had told anyone how she really felt. How much pain she was going through. "I lost both of my parents that night, I was so scared" Hermione added in a hoarse whisper.

Ron stroked her hair, tears ran down the side of his face as he realised how much his best friend was hurting. He wasn't there for her when she needed it most. He could tell how much she needed Harry and him just by holding her. She was so vulnerable. He just thanked Merlin that she wasn't killed that night as well.

"Hermione" Ron began with a guilty tone "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you, you needed me and I wasn't there as much as I could have been" Ron apologised softly.

Hermione pushed gently away from Ron and looked into his eyes that were now filled with tears. "It's ok, you're here now" She said lightly as she wiped a tear from his eye with her thumb. She wiped her tears and put on a smile. Hermione looked at Ron for a moment "Ron, not that I am ungrateful that you are here, but why are you here? Surely you didn't just come for a surprise reunion, there must be a reason" Hermione asked curiously.

Ron looked uneasy. He didn't know whether or not to tell Hermione about the real reason he came. He didn't want to worry her. Then again she probably would already know about it, knowing Hermione she would. He took a deep breath as he prepared himself to tell Hermione what was going on.

"Have you been reading the Daily Prophet recently?" Ron asked casually.

"Ron, this isn't the time to be making small talk" Hermione scolded.

"No, I mean have you been reading it? Did you see the front page of today's paper?" Ron explained nervously.

Hermione paled. As soon as Ron mentioned the front page of today's Daily Prophet her heart began to race. "Yes…" She answered quietly.

Ron saw Hermione turn a ghostly white, she reminded him of the poltergeists back at Hogwarts. "So you know about the upcoming election?" Ron said with worry.

Hermione simply nodded. Her throat seemed to have clogged up with fear, the fear of what Ron would say next.

"One of the candidates, Dean Mattican is running for Minister of Magic, he…he…how do I say this? He has a…strong dislike for…muggle-borns. He thinks that they aren't good enough for the wizarding world" Ron stopped. He couldn't say anymore, but he knew he needed to. Hermione had a right to know since she would be one of the people affected by the election if he is chosen as the new Minister. He took hold of Hermione's now cold hands and held them tight. Giving both some form of comfort. " He doesn't want them in the wizard world. He thinks muggle-born witches and wizards are weak and have only weakened us. He blames everything that has happened on muggle-borns. He claims that muggle-borns, including witches and wizards that have muggle and wizard parents are to blame. He thinks that if they weren't allowed to learn magic, then Voldermort wouldn't have obtained the magical knowledge to become something so evil. I know it sounds stupid, but people will buy it. That's where I come in, I wanted to help fight against this campaign and stop him from winning the election" Ron explained. He had also gone pale. He hated people who were prejudiced and discriminated against muggle born witches and wizards.

Hermione had been silent for a while now. Ron could feel her hands were icy cold. Her face was still pale and her expression was dull. He put it down to shock. It was a lot to take in, especially for Hermione.

"I can't believe it, why would someone blame Voldermorts' evil doings on muggle borns?" Hermione whispered hoarsely.

Ron looked into her brown eyes. He saw how much sorrow filled them, how much was the world going to destroy her? He could never begin to wonder how much pain she felt. He brought her in for another comforting hug. He leaned his head on her hair as a tear fell down his face "I don't know Hermione, but I promise I will do anything I can to stop him before he hurts you" Ron said in a brave tone. He would do anything in his power to stop that man from hurting Hermione and put an end to this, once and for all.

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Well here is chapter one! Please tell me what you think.

cutehelenjames


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: I would like to thank everyone who read chapter one, you were the ones that gave me the motivation to carry on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

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**Chapter Two**

Ron and Hermione were sitting in a small café near the ministry. Hermione decided to take the rest of the day off since she was already ahead of the work schedule. Ron was fiddling with his napkin tearing at the ends and twisting it into different shapes. He looked over to Hermione; she was stirring her tea looking down into the tiny whirlpool she was creating.

Ron was concerned. He knew that the death of her parents had affected her in more ways he was letting on. He knew she didn't get the support she needed from her friends for that he felt horrible for. He was so caught up in his life that he forgot about the people he cared about. Something he regretted with every passing day.

Hermione looked at the mini whirlpool of tea she had created. She was reminded of how her life seemed to be, lost in a deep sea full of whirlpools without a raft to pull her to safety. She sighed as she placed the teaspoon on the table.

Ron looked up and saw that Hermione had her head resting on her small hand. She was staring at the table, with glossy eyes. Ron noticed that the sparkle in her brown eyes that was once there, had disappeared. He felt partially responsible for this, if he were there for her more then maybe she would be happier. If only her friends were all there for her then she wouldn't be in this depressed state she is in now.

Ron mentally cursed himself for letting Hermione, someone who he cared about get into that state of misery. He regretted not keeping in contact. If only he replied to her owls, taken the time to make an effort with the friendship he had then maybe he wouldn't be sitting here with a guilty conscience.

"Hermione?" Ron said softly

Hermione looked up and met Ron's gaze. She saw that his eyes were filled with guilt. She hated to see him like this; she preferred the cheerful Ron who always managed to cheer her up. She slowly moved her hand and placed it gently over Ron's, giving a comforting squeeze as she smiled lightly at him.

"Ron, I have told you before, not to feel guilty, what's done is done and you have to accept that" Hermione explained.

Ron sighed "I should be feeling guilty 'Mione, I can see how much you're hurting and you cant hide the fact. No smile will be able to hide it. Why are you so nice about it? Why are you being so kind to me after what I did?" Ron said with guilt.

"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say I hate you and Harry for abandoning me at my most time of need? That I had been there for both of you when you needed me, but both of you weren't there for me when I needed you! I was there for you Ron! I was there for you when you needed me, during the battle I helped you through! I helped you after the war but no one thought to help me when my parents were murdered! Neither you nor Harry wrote to me afterwards! It was as if I didn't exist to you anymore! Is that what you want me to say? Because I will if you want me to! I can give you are hard time about it, but I choose not to because my heart is already filled with too much heartache to hate you!" Hermione yelled. She caused half the café to a hypnotised stare.

Ron sighed, he knew deep down Hermione must be feeling that but he knew she didn't want to say it, even though she just did "I'm sorry Hermione"

Hermione sighed, calming herself from her outburst. "Ron, please stop saying sorry"

Ron smiled "Ok" He squeezed her hands to let her know that he understood and still cared.

"I won't give you a hard time about the past because it's not worth it. I can't handle hating you, even if you hadn't had come back, I still wouldn't have any hatred for you. It takes more strength to hate someone, than it is to like them. I had never, in the time that you and Harry left to do your own thing hated you. I was angry sometimes, I will tell you that, but not once did I ever hate you."

Ron had tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe how Hermione, after all this time, after all he had done, or for better words hadn't she still didn't hate him. Ron had a newly found appreciation for Hermione. He hasn't known anyone who can be civilised and kind to someone who abandoned them. He knew that he would have to make it up to her, somehow he will prove to her that he cares about her.

"You are unbelievable, you know that? I don't know anyone who can't hate the people that hurt them the most. I know you don't want me to go on about how sorry I am, I won't go into that. Sorry isn't enough, its all very well saying sorry, but I need to prove it to you 'Mione" Ron explained through small tears, he wanted to prove to Hermione that he still cared, even if she knew otherwise.

"Ron, I know how much you and Harry care about me. You do not need to prove anything that I already know. It would be pointless and a waste of your time. Neither you, nor Harry needs to prove anything to me because if you do, it will only be pointless. I know both of you needed to find yourselves after the war. I accept that, I accepted that. I knew that after the war things would change. We all needed to find out what we were destined for. We may, look back on it and find that we might have gone about it the wrong way. That still doesn't change anything we felt before. I always knew one day you would come back. When you were ready. Don't ask me why, or how I knew. I just did. I knew that despite whatever paths we took it would eventually lead us back to each other. That is why I don't hate you or Harry, Ron. Because I knew that you would come back." Hermione explained heartily. She noticed Ron's composure. He was shocked, yet happy. Sad yet relieved. She didn't know what he was feeling. One thing she knew that he was happy to see that she didn't hate him, he was happy that she didn't show any remorse. She stood up and motioned Ron to do the same. As he did she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I missed you, Ron"

"I missed you too, Hermione"

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"Do you think we should have gone with Ron?" Ginny asked as she walked with Harry towards the café where Ron and Hermione were currently situated.

Harry took a deep breath "They needed some time alone together. We both know that they had chemistry together. Whether that has changed or not they still need time together. Besides it might have been to overwhelming for Hermione if all three of us turned up at the same time" Harry explained.

"True" Ginny, said "But I still think that we shouldn't have left Ron to confront her by himself. We all hurt her in some way, we should be there as well"

Harry stopped, noticing that he had stopped Ginny stopped to and turned around to see Harry looking sideways at the ground.

"Harry, look at me" Ginny asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and she noticed the sad expression on his face "I know that you feel bad for hurting Hermione like that, we all do. But you can't go round feeling sorry for yourself. What happened has happened. We can't change time, so we have to deal with it." Ginny explained.

"I know you are trying to help Ginny," Harry said as he pulled away from her "But how can I face Hermione after what I done to her? She has been there for me! She risked her life for me! How do I repay her? How do I show her I care? By abandoning her at her time of need! Death Eaters killed her mum! It was a direct attack, they were helpless! Her dad died shortly after! It wasn't two deaths at a time! It was one after the other! She needed us and we weren't there for her! So how can I even look her in the eye? After all that?" Ginny could see the pain in his eyes, the regret and sorrow of hurting one of his best friends.

Ginny drew Harry into a warming hug, she rubbed his back soothingly "Harry, please don't blame yourself. The attack wasn't your fault! Hermione doesn't blame you for the attack. Maybe if we all were there for her when she needed us, then maybe it wouldn't be so painful. We are here for her now and we need to be strong" Ginny reasoned. She knew that Harry felt immensely guilty about leaving Hermione on her own at her time of need.

"Your right, we should get going, Ron's waiting for us" Harry said as he realised Ginny and walked on ahead.

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Ron released Hermione and wiped a small tear that had escaped from her eye. He took a deep breath, he knew that there was no way to stop the guilt he was feeling in his heart. He missed her all these years, he didn't know why he didn't act upon it sooner. Maybe if he did, things would have been different, but then again it was different back then.

He was always under the shadow of his older brothers, being the youngest boy in the family he needed to make a name for himself. He didn't want to be known as 'Bill's little brother' or anything like that. Things changed when he went to Hogwarts, he met Harry. After that he was always under the shadow of him. Ron has never regretted meeting Harry, they are best friends and nothing can change that. After the war, Ron needed to find himself and to truly blossom away from the shadows in his life and create that spotlight he had always urged.

Unfortunately, finding yourself, who you are meant leaving a few things behind. He regretted not being there for Hermione after Death Eaters murdered her mum, he was angry with himself for leaving a day after the funeral and not spending the time he had comforting his best friend. Shortly after he left, Hermione's dad died, he regretted not being able to attend the funeral since he was in Egypt working on an important project. He didn't see how hurt and lonely she was until today. He knew that if he had been there for her in the first place, she wouldn't be in that state.

He looked at the time and realised that Harry and Ginny were on their way. They were all planning on going to see Hermione together, but Ron thought what with the time spent apart, and the emotional expense of the occasion Ron decided to go on his own to help Hermione cope with the emotional stress that the reunion would cause.

He looked at Hermione and smiled, he was relieved when she gave him a faint smile back. He knew that she was ready, she had shed most of her tears with him, and although it killed him to see her like that he was relieved that he knew that he had learnt form his mistakes. He knew that he would never leave Hermione, or any of his friends again, they are an important part in his life and he would be devastated if he lost them.

Ron moved a lock of hair away from Hermione's face and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled as his blue eyes looked into her brown eyes. She felt something special in her heart, something she hasn't felt in years.

"Are you ready to see Harry and Ginny?" Ron asked gently.

"Yes, yes I am" Hermione replied with a feeling she hadn't truly felt in years, happiness.

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Authors Note: Please review and tell me what you think

cutehelenjames


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: I am aware that it has been a long time (almost three months) since i updated, but i have a good excuse. Since i am doing Advanced courses, i am currently swamped with courswork...-.-. I swear i started this chapter ages ago, but my commitments to my school work comes first.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any other character recognised in this fic. This is purely for entertainment use.

Chapter 3

Dean Mattican was someone who you would not wish to anger. The very mention of his name sent shivers down spines.He wasn't as nearly as feared as Voldermort but at times he could come close.

He was feared within the ministry. No one dared question his actions for they were soon made to regret it. He was a horrible man with no conscience. If he did have a conscience it was drained out of him a long time ago.

Mattican was a tall man with a skinny frame. His skin was as pale as a white sheet, which gave a ghastly impression. His hair was a charcoal black and his eyes were like steel. His dark icy glare made it sure that he could get what he wanted without question.

Dean Mattican came from an extremely powerful line of purebloods. His family was very rich and was highly regarded in the wizarding world. His bloodline goes back generations, his great-grandfather, grand father and father were powerful wizards and more importantly to them pure blooded.

Now you must understand about this man. He is not one you would wish to pass in a corridor. He is not one to anger, for he has a temper unlike any other. He feels highly about himself and it truly shows in the way he acts.

He only hired people who he thought were up to the standards, in other words only pure bloods. His attitude was worse than the Malfoy's put together. Not only could he not stand muggle-borns, but also he had a strong dislike towards Half bloods.

It's hard to believe that a man can be full of hatred. How can one man be so cruel, so full of negative energy that just thinking about him brings shivers down peoples' spines.

One thing that came to most people's minds is why was he running for Minister of Magic? Surely people won't want someone who has a strong prejudice for almost half the wizarding community. There must be a reason why he wants the position. Maybe gain extra power? Maybe another alternate reason?

Whatever reason he was running for, the outcome if he won would surely not be something to look forward to.

* * *

Ron was tapping his fingers nervously on the table; his eyes never left the window as he was trying to look out for Harry and Ginny. Hermione looked at his fidgeting hands and sighed. She knew that Ron was nervous but she saw no reason for it.

"Ron, please stop that tapping it's giving me a headache" Hermione said softly "Besides, there is nothing to worry about, I am only meeting up with two of my best friends, after a few years. There is absolutely nothing to worry about"

Ron placed his hands flat on the table and gave an apologetic smile towards Hermione. She just smiled and shook her head, as if trying not to laugh.

"You're right, sorry" Said Ron in an apologetic tone.

"Ron, how many times do I have to say it? I don't want you to apologise to me anymore" Hermione stated calmly.

"Sorry" Ron looked up at Hermione and let out a nervous laugh

Hermione sighed and presented a light smile to Ron. She knew that he was expecting her to be angry with him. She knew that he had expected her to reprimand him for abandoning her at her time of need. Deep down all she wanted to do was to shout at him, but she couldn't. She knew that being angry with Ron would be too much heartache, she lost too much to loose anything now.

She missed Ron so much during his time spent away. She didn't realise this very fact until a few hours ago when he appeared at her office door. She was filled with mixed emotions, that she really didn't know what to feel. She was angry with him, Harry and Ginny; after all, they weren't there for her in her times of vulnerability. She could never hate them, but they definitely let her down in more ways than one.

Sure they were supportive immediately after Death Eaters killed her mother, but that wasn't enough. She needed support after they left, a shoulder to cry on and they weren't there to give her that. Sure she felt selfish for feeling this, they had their own lives to deal with, but she wished that her friends had made more of an effort to keep in contact.

She knew that she was probably going a little too easy on them. They showed her no thought after her dad's funeral and just left her to pick up the pieces. She knew that they had their own life to sort, even more so for Harry. She sympathised with him; he was lost after the war, gaining the new identity of "The-Boy-Who-Triumphed". All his life up until he turned eleven, he was known as Harry Potter, but soon after he received his letter from Hogwarts his identity to the majority of the wizardry community was "The-Boy-Who-Lived". She knew that it must have been hard, being a huge public icon that so many people admired. She understood how after the war, he had to find out who he was. He spent most, if not all of his adolescence preparing for the battle he was destined to fight, only to find that afterwards he was completely lost.

She knew how he felt at some level, when both your parents are gone, you loose your identity. Soon after her dad died, she felt she could no longer carry on with her life. Her parents were very important figures in her life, and since she had no siblings to turn to for support she couldn't help but feel lost as to who she was anymore.

During the times that she was alone, Hermione experienced extreme cases of insomnia. At times she couldn't close her eyes without images of her parent's death haunting her. Every time she tried to sleep, she heard her mother's desperate screams; they felt so real that it had to take Hermione a few minutes to realise that it was just a dream. She trembled, in cold sweats every time she woke up from a nightmare of her parent's decease.

She felt, for a time that it was indeed her fault that they died. If only she had gone down those stairs that night, then maybe her parents would still be here. She knew that her dad didn't blame her, but she would understand if he did. She was their original target, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for all the pain she caused.

She wanted to see her friends again, since without them she has been a wreck. It was safe to say that Hermione wasn't herself ever since she was alone. She was depressed and kept to herself most, if not all of the time. That didn't mean she hadn't made any friends, it purely meant that she had trouble getting too close to them. She couldn't handle anymore-abrupt departures; she experienced too much loss in her life to cope.

She was happy to finally be able to see Harry and Ginny. She wanted to see how much they had changed in the past years. She wanted to hear about what they were doing in life, but more importantly; she wanted it to be like old times.

Hermione knew that to get to that stage would take a lot of time and effort. Damage already came and has stained parts of their friendship that desperately need mending. Only time can remove the stains that have hung over their minds and hearts for a long time.

Hermione and Ron heard the café door open with two figures emerging from the outside. Hermione instantly noticed a wave of a certain trademark red hair at the entrance to the café, only such hair could belong to a member of the Weasley family.

Hermione instantly perked up as she saw the couple walking towards the table that she and Ron were sitting. She immediately stood up as they approached the table, and embraced the nearest one with so much force that he almost toppled over.

Indeed, the nearest person to her was Harry Potter. He smiled warmly and returned her embrace, holding her with care as she quietly sobbed into his shirt. He rubbed her back soothingly, comforting her; easing the pain. She pulled out of the embrace and looked into her friend's green eyes. She noticed that they had matured slightly, no longer were they the eyes of a boy, but the eyes of a man.

He had definitely grown a couple of inches and had a broader figure. He looked toned and healthy, which means that he must have been taking care of himself. His hair was still messy, but with a neater style. He smiled as his green eyes met with Hermione's brown. He noticed a small tear escape from her glossy eyes and he carefully wiped it away with the tip of his thumb.

"It's good to see you again, Hermione" Harry greeted, breaking the silence that had consumed the group since he first arrived.

Hermione smiled lightly, trying to stop the tears from falling as she replied "You too Harry, You too"

He gently tapped her on the shoulder, as she greeted Ginny with a friendly embrace. The two women couldn't help but let out a few tears at such an emotional time.

"I missed you, Hermione. It's great to see you again" Ginny said lightly through her joyful tears.

Hermione again smiled lightly, "I missed you too"

* * *

Authors Note: Well, yes it was a short chapter. I wanted to carry on with this chapter and make it longer, but with the emotions carried with it, any futher would make it bland, and i don't want that:D

Let me know what you think:D

Looking forward to hear from you:D

cutehelenjames


	4. Chapter 4

I know, i know! Late update, really late. But if you paid attention to the notice i put at the bottom of my profile then you know why:). I have been swamped with exams andpersonal errands!

Well this chapter is not as long i hoped it to be, but it was a very emotional chapter, so emotional that i cried at parts. Don't ask me where all the angst comes from, i really don't know...I'm really a happy person, honest!

Also **Minor HBP Spoiler! **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters or the plot to Harry Potter, so no need to sue me!

* * *

**Coming Together Again**

**Chapter 4**

After the emotional reunion that Hermione has shared with her friends, she felt a new light fall upon her. Ever since her parent's death two years ago, Hermione had felt empty. Losing one's parents always leaves a hole in the child's heart and identity, and for Hermione it was no different.

After the death of her father, she fell to an all time low. Not yet recovered from the shock of her mother's death she felt that her life was turning against her. She felt as if, the death of her parents was her fault. If only she went down those stairs on the eve of her mother's murder then maybe her mother would be alive, instead of six feet under. She could have protected them, she was supposed to be one of the smartest witches in her year at Hogwarts, and yet she couldn't even help her parents. She couldn't help but wonder whether it would be different if she ran down those stairs instead of her now deceased mother.

Things only became worse when she lost touch with her best friends months after her fathers funeral. She knew that she couldn't expect them to be there for her all the time, they had their own lives to deal with. She just wanted to know that they were there for her at her most time of need. They thought that they were being there for her at the funeral, but that was only the beginning of her pain.

There were times when she felt like she couldn't go on, both her parents were dead, her friends weren't in contact like they used to be and she was falling into a dark spiral of depression. No one was there to help her out of the dark hole she had fallen into, no one seemed to care.

She knew that her friends didn't leave her intentionally. She knew that they would do anything for her, would help her at her most time of need. However when she most needed them; they weren't there. They didn't see her life falling to pieces; they didn't watch her breakdowns when everything just got too much. They didn't see the pain that still stains in her eyes of the loss of her family.

The one thing that made her angry the most was that the Death Eaters who murdered her mum, were never caught. It angered her that she couldn't identify them as they stood smirking over her mother's lifeless body. It angered her that they may still be out there, destroying families, such as her own. One thing that she could never even begin to forgive is the Death Eater that said those fatal words directed straight at her mother's chest.

* * *

_A crash coming from downstairs woke Hermione Granger from her sleep. Her eyes bolted open in panic, instantly fearing the worst. She reached out for her trusted wand, the very same wand that had saved her life and others on numerous occasions during the remaining years of the war against Voldermort. _

_She clenched her wand tightly in her fist, her fingernails digging deeply into the palm of her hand. She took several deep breaths, too calm the increasing nerves. She slowly stood up from her bed and made her way to her bedroom door. As she was about to turn the door handle, she heard an ear-piercing scream coming from the kitchen._

_She instantly recognised the scream as her mothers, and without thinking pulled the door open and ran down the stairs, almost tripping over Crooksanks, who had been happily sleeping on the stairs._

_As she approached the entrance to the kitchen, she saw her worst nightmare come alive. Before she could react, a Death Eater murmured those fatal words, the words that can end a person's life at the snap of a finger… "Avada Kedavra" _

_Hermione watched her mother's pupils dilate into nothing, as she fell to the ground, dead. The Death Eater's smirking, like her mother's death was some competition, and they won top prize. _

_The Death Eater's turned to face Hermione. Their white masks covered their identity. Hermione felt her knees go weak, and she toppled over onto the cold kitchen tiles. She trembled with fear, tears falling freely from her leaking eyes. She knew she was showing them weakness, but she didn't care. She knew that she was giving them the perfect opportunity for them to kill her, like they wanted to kill her in the past, but she didn't care. She also didn't care that one of the Death Eaters was pointing their wand towards her trembling form._

_She felt pain, excruciating pain all over her body. She couldn't breath since it was so painful, she couldn't think because all she knew at the point was horrific pain. It felt like a thousand knifes were slashing her inside and out. It felt like boiling oil was pouring into her skin that was tearing away her flesh. It lasted a minute, and it was only then when she realised that she had been put under the cruciatus curse._

_She coughed, choking on the air that she missed out on. By now, her tears had soaked her face, and had made a small puddle on the tiles. The Death Eaters smirked; feeling proud of the pain that they just inflicted. Without a second thought, they apparated out of the kitchen, never to be seen again._

_Hermione choked a sob, and slowly crawled to her mother. She held her in her arms and cried, hoping and wishing that there were someway that she would wake up. She knew though, that once those fatal words were said, there was no turning back._

_Hermione realised that her father was standing in the doorway with a disbelieving look on his face. He looked Hermione in the eye, hoping to see that his wife; the woman that he loved was still alive. It broke Hermione's heart when she shook her head to tell her dad, that her mum, his wife was in fact dead. _

_That one night changed the Granger family, from a happy household, to a downward spiral of loss and pain.

* * *

_

That fatal night reminded Hermione life was in fact unfair. That night reminded her of how brutal Death Eaters can be, it proved to her that they did not, and never will have a heart or a conscience.

Each day that passed was hard for Hermione after the death of her parents. Every time she stepped one foot into the kitchen, the place where so much devastation began, she would remember the sight of her mother's deceased body. The very thought of it immediately made her insides twist and she felt physically sick. After the death of her mother, she couldn't go near the kitchen for weeks, she was afraid that she may be reminded of that horrific night that already had made a permanent marking in her memory.

Due to the fact that she couldn't bare to step foot in her kitchen, her weight decreased gradually. She felt that it was time to sell her parent's house and try to move on. Living in the same house that her mother was murdered, and her father suffered that fatal heart attack was almost unbearable to her. Every room held a thousand memories of her childhood, but one room in the house stood out from the rest. The event that happened in her kitchen, the one where happy memories were once shared was tainted with that one night. The night that would haunt Hermione in her sleep, and eat at her during the day.

The death of a loved one is hard to cope with, but coping alone is one of the hardest things a person can do. For Hermione it was no different. After the news of the death of her mother arose in her family she knew that it wasn't going to go down well. How often is a relative of theirs killed by Death Eaters? Hermione knew that it was time to tell them the one thing she had been hiding from them for the past decade, that she was in fact a witch. They didn't take to kindly to it, as she expected. She didn't expect a parade when she told them, nor did they smile. She knew that they blamed her for her mother's death. Although they didn't directly say it to her, she could see it in their eyes. Their sorrow filled eyes looking at her with pain and anger told her exactly what they were thinking.

She didn't dare contact them again, in fear of what they may do or say. She hoped that they would come to an understanding that it wasn't her fault, but every time she thought that, guilt came back to haunt her. She felt responsible, and her family only made her guilt worse.

After she moved out of her childhood home, she moved into a flat near to work. It wasn't the best accommodation she would have liked, but at the time it was all she could really afford. It was a one-bedroom apartment with a small living area and kitchen with a tiny bathroom just big enough for a shower, toilet and sink. Hermione sighed when she saw the place she was going to be living in, but she just shrugged it off, _'Life sucks, deal with it'_

Since her "home" didn't feel like a home to her, she spent most of her time at work. She arrived early in the morning before everyone else, and left hours after they did. She felt that if you had no one to go home to, why go home at all? Her flat was mainly used for sleeping, if she could call it that. She would usually wake up in cold sweats, having dreamt about the attack that left her mother dead. The event was like a broken record, stuck on repeat, playing the same scene in her head and when it ended, it would go back to the start and reply it again, and again and again.

It would drive her crazy; sometimes she felt like she wanted to pull her head off because the pain was that unbearable. She would suffer painful headaches every time the memory replayed itself, as if she was there again. She also felt slight pain from the Cruciatus Curse that was inflicted upon her during the attack.

Life went down hill for Hermione. She no longer paid her once weekly visit to the Weasley household, for it was too painful for her to see something that she no longer had, a family. She knew that she was accepted as a family member to them, but somehow it didn't fill her emptiness inside. She knew that Molly, Arthur and the Weasley children worried about her after hearing about the devastating news, and appreciated their concern, but she needed to be alone.

!She knew that Harry knew what she was going through, having lost his parents, Sirius and Dumblebore. She knew that he wanted to help her get through this, but she wouldn't let anyone in. The pain was too much for her to handle during the first few months after the decease of her parents.

She kept in touch with her friends, with the occasional owl but they were usually too busy with their ongoing lives to reply. She understood, she didn't want them putting their lives on hold for her, no that would be selfish. However she couldn't help but feel slight anger towards them for not being there for her as much as she needed. Sure she said she wanted to be alone, but if they had been more observant they would have seen a friend in desperate need for some comforting. She knew that she was partly to blame for losing contact with her friends. She changed after the tragedy that left her alone in the world that she forgot she had friends and another illegitimate family who cared for her deeply. As they say, a child losing their parents, is also like losing their identity.

She wanted more, she needed more, and she deserved more. She wanted so much for Ron and Harry to walk though those tatty old doors and rescue her from the mess she was in, but they didn't. No one did. No one helped her recover and move on from her parent's death. Although, you can't truly move on, can you?

Hermione felt lost in her own thoughts as she replayed the events in her mind. Surely she knew it wasn't healthy, that she was setting herself up for a complete breakdown? Hermione didn't care what she was doing to her state of mind, for all she wanted was to have her parents and friends back in her life once more. She knew that bringing her parents back from the dead was an impossible task, even the most powerful witches and wizards wouldn't be able to perform the inevitable. Hermione just had to face the fact that her parents were never coming back.

To make matters worse, the Death Eaters that destroyed her very lively hood were not caught, and still roam free to this day. Hermione feared that they may come back for her to finish what they intended to do. She had no doubts that the attack was meant for her; after all it would make logical sense. She helped defeat the Dark Lord, and was best friends with the boy who ended the misery that bestowed upon the magical community that ran over decades. It would make perfect revenge to see that one of his friends die and the hands of Death Eaters, but instead of a quick death like her mothers, the type of death that she was experiencing was eating her insides. Memories rotting in her brain and her heart slowly crumbling and fading into nothing.

Hermione spent endless nights thinking about what her life would be like if she hadn't received her letter for Hogwarts. She never regretted finding out that she was a witch, or regretted going to Hogwarts, nor did she regret making the best of friends. She just wondered what her life would be like if she hadn't in fact been a witch. Would her parents still be alive? Would she be happy, like she was in he Hogwarts days? Would she have made such fantastic friends like Ron, Harry and Ginny? The answer to that would be unsure, as she never got to experience life growing up as a normal teenager.

All those nights thinking about the "What ifs" made her realise that she did have something worth living and fighting for, Her friends. Her friends who have been there for her since day one, and although they weren't there for her in person, she knew that they would be there for her in spirit. She just needed to find an easy way of believing that.

When Ron came knocking on her office door earlier that day, all pain just seemed to disappear, only to return again after hearing what brought him there. She knew that she would soon be in danger if that cruel man got his way, and that terrified her. She had no idea of the plans this man had install for muggle-borns, but she knew it wouldn't be pleasant. He was, from the description Ron had given her, a monster.

And she was determined to stop him at all costs.

* * *

Sorry if this chapter depressed you a little, it depressed me when i was writing it. But i hope you liked it none the less.

Anyone care to guess what the evil dictator is planning?

Review and let me know what you think:)

(Hands out cookies and cake)

Helen:)X


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